LousPeachy

I will be attending a Seminar with Dr Dexter Turnquest on May 22 & will meet with him at that time. He works out of Methodist Willowbrook and Houston NW Medical Center. He is very highly rated. I have Medicare and UHC Supplement Insurance that should cover most if not all costs. I couldn't afford it otherwise. Louise

Hi Donna! You live in Houston too? That is where I am. NW Houston here! I have both Medicare and UHC Supplimental Insurance. I attend a Seminar and have a consultatin with Dr Dexter Turnquest on May 22. I am researching both bypass & the sleeve in case I have a choice. Louise

Hi from Houston! To be perfectly honest, I can't believe I am posting on a Weight Loss Surgery forum. I turned 67 in January. I was forced to retire at 64 due to health problems. Shortly afterward my husband lost his job. He is legally blind so has been unsuccessful in finding another one since he does not drive. I have sat around for the past year doing nothing but eating and gaining weight. I was around 300 lbs when I left retail. Every time I would go to my primary care doctor, he would make me feel horrible about myself regarding my weight but never suggested any things I could do to get help. I finally got sick of being treated this way and found another doctor. My first visit with her, she asked me if I had ever considered weight loss surgery. Maybe because I weighed in at 385 pounds???? I am embarrassed to even tell anyone that. My husband and I have researched surgery and have decided that if is possible, I will have the surgery. We chose a doctor due to recommendations and if he is all I have been told he is, he will be the one to do the surgery. We are going to a Seminar on May 22 and will have a 1 on 1 meeting with him the same day. I am guessing it would be around September or October before the surgery would be done. Insurance looks good, Medicare and a Supplemental insurance that will pay anything Medicare doesn't cover as long as Medicare pays some of it. Hopefully that will cover most if not all of it. I am not sure what type of procedure he will do but I have read that with a high BMI like mine, 66, they will often do the gastric bypass surgery. Time will tell. Thanks for letting me join the forum. I hope to learn a lot, not only pre-op but also pre-consultation. I am praying that the Lord will help us work all this out for me to be able to have the surgery. Sitting in a chair 24/7 is no way to spend the rest of my hopefully long life! Thanks again, Louise

I go for a Seminar and my first appointment with the surgeon on May22. I have been researching both the Sleeve and Gastric Bypass. I already have eliminated the Lap Band. I want to be knowlegable about both procedures in case i am given a choice. i have been spending a lot of time on the General Surgical Forums. Time to branch out on the Forums that are specific to one type of surgery. Louise

I have a Seminar and then will see the doctor for the first time on May 22. I am so excited to get started. Can't be too soon for me. I am in Houston. what about you? Louise

Hi Donna! I have my Seminar and first meeting with the doctor on May 22. I too am excited to get started. I just wish I hadn't waited till I was 67 to do this. Be sure and let us know what the Dr says and I will do the same! Louise

Has anyone had a hernia and had WLS done before the hernia repair? Everything I have read says have WLS first and after you lose weight, take care of the hernia. I also know they won't do both at once. I am afraid that because of the hernia open WLS will be necessary. I had my Hernia repaired some years ago and a 1-2 hour surgery took over 4 hours. The doctor said there was little tissue to put the hernia back in and had to piece me back together inside. He wasn't sure if it would last and told me not to gain weight or get constipated. Well, it tore out again when I was going to the bathroom about a year after surgery and then I started gaining weight. I know they will not do another hernia repair as long as I am this heavy. I wear an abdominal binder 24/7 to keep it from coming out further. I also have scar tissue from it.Medicare here in TX will only approve open surgery for Bypass. Louise Oh yes ,the same doctor (general surgeon) did my Gall Bladder surgery. He discovered I have some liver damage from Non-alcoholic cirrhosis and that surgery took a lot longer than the hernia one. My incision from that one is probably 10" long. The scar looks like someone took a butcher knife to me. When he pulled the staples, pus and Water squirted out two feet in the air. (sorry to be so graphic.) I had to have wound care for several months till it healed. He cut so many nerves in the second surgery I had NO pain post-op and still have no feeling down there. WLS will be a piece of cake compared to the last two!! LOL This WLS I will be seeing is also a General Surgeon. He will do a tummy tuck for his WLS patients. Wouldn't it be nice if he could do the hernia repair AND tummy tuck at the same time?

The Doctors office sent me some info today so I could access their portal. I filled out all the paperwork they require before my initial appointment. Lots of health related questions of course but I was surprised that there wasn't a place for me to fill in things that were not required elsewhere. I guess he can ask at the visit but I thought the point of filling out forms beforehand was so he would already have ALL the info. Louise

I can easily drink 64 oz a day now. But how in the heck to you "sip" that much! Yikes. Got to be a real challenge. Luckily I am retired and not working. How can you ever do it when working! Louise

Ugg...Nutrisystem. The food is HORRIBLE! Jenny Craig is better tasting but way too expensive. It is WONDERFUL that you have lost 20 pounds. WAY TO GO!! Louise

The hernia I am concerned about is the abdominal one. I also have a hiatial hernia. That one he maybe can correct while he is doing the WLS. At least there is no scar tissue there. Thanks for the replies everyone. Louise

Oh yes, my Non-alcoholic cirrhosis has been controlled for over 2 years by medication. My liver doctor is 100% behind me regarding WLS.

I bought a Vitamix several months ago. It was a new recliner OR a Vitamix and I don't regret my decision one bit. That thing will liquify ANYTHING and if I am approved for WLS, I am sure it will REALLY come in handy. I also have the dry food container but I haven't used that yet. I love making homemade tomato Soup with fresh tomatoes! Louise

At 67 I am not concerned over looks just the rash I ALREADY get under my tummy. I am sick of the powder thing 3 or 4 times a day. I am sure it would a lot worse after WLS. Louise

The doctor who I will be seeing the 22nd along with the Seminar has on his website that he will do the surgery on the patients HE did the WLS on. I wonder if he does it free and you just pay the hospital costs?!?! Louise

I can't believe that Medicare is different from state to state! That's crazy!! From what I have read on the Dr's website and the Medicare site, it CAN be done here in TX. Leave it to the Government to screw everything up. NOTHING is simple with them. Since Medicare covers it partially, my Supplemental Insurance will pay the difference. I sure hope I am reading it right. I DID notice however that only one type of surgery is covered for OPEN surgery. Mall,seem to be covered for Laproscopic. I think the open is Gastric Bypass if Imremember correctly. I feel so bad for you.it just doesn't seem fair. Hugs, Louise

Thanks for the suggestions. I (litterly) hope and pray I am able to have the surgery. You have to have "been there" to understand what it is like to not be able to even do the simplest things for yourself. I don't want to live like this anymore. My Mom lived to be 90 ad my Grandfathers 86 & 96. Who wants to sit in a recliner for who knows how many more years! Not to wish my ife away but I wish May 22 would hurry up and get here so I can attend the Seminar and my first visit with te doctor! Louise

Thanks for the welcome! I know I will be running all over visiting Doctors for a while. The only thing I worry about is the sleep study. I drive a Chevy Silverado PU. I need a stool to get in and out and my husband helps me. He doesn't drive since he is legally blind. How will I get into the truck to get back home. Maybe, since I had a Study 3 years ago, I won't need another one? Luckly I live in NW Houston near many medical facilities and Doctors. God bless, Louise

Hi! I have lived in Houston since 1984 but am originally from a small town between Niagara Falls & Buffalo. I pay a small fortune my UHC Supplemental Insurance but since I have some chronic health problems, it actually pays for itself over a period of time. Boy, I am so glad I have it now that I am hopefully, headed towards WLS. I am looking forward to meeting with the doctor and the seminar May 22. Without the UHC insurance I could not even consider the surgery. We live on a very tight budget. I am excited to get started jumping through the hoops. Even more than that, I am looking forward to having more mobility and start enjoying life again. Thanks for the welcome! Louise

Newbie here. I posted an introduction in another forum but I want to say hi here. I am 67 and have just registered for a Weight Loss Seminar on May 22. I changed PC doctors and upon seeing that I weighed in at 385 pounds, she suggested I look into weight loss surgery. After much research, that is just what I am doing. My old PC physician just watched me get fatter and fatter and fatter and all he ever suggested for over 5 years was eat less and exercise. I should have done this many years ago. When I retired at 64 (health problems), I weighed around 300 pounds. Here I am, 3 years later, 85 pounds heavier, nearly "chair bound" due to excess weight. I have Medicare and AARP Supplemental Insurance that pays whatever Medicare doesn't for Medicare approved things. Hopefully it will be most everything. Has any other Senior dealt with this combination of insurance? I am a bit scared but more excited to get all this started. My husband is as excited as I am. We hope to be able to enjoy our Senior years very soon! God bless, Louiseppp

When I get depressed, it is almost always weight related. As a senior citizen, with mobility issues......weight related. Sitting around and not being able to do things.....weight related. I have always felt better about myself when I can get out of the house, even if it just to take one of the dogs out for a walk or wander through a thrift store. How to survive the wait? Keep looking at that light at the end of the tunnel. Your wait is short and remember you have a long lifetime to enjoy the NEW YOU! Louise

Next time tell the person who says something like that: "if you don't like the way I look, that's why God gave you eyelids". Even at 67 years of age, I still can't believe how ignorant people can be. And believe me, I am soooo aware of how much it hurts. Louise

Next time tell the person who says something like that: "if you don't like the way I look, that's why God gave you eyelids". Even at 67 years of age, I still can't believe how ignorant people can be. And believe me, I am soooo aware of how much it hurts. Louise

I haven't been to the introductory Seminar yet. I go May 22. But I am the kind of person, when something serious is being considered, it is RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH. Some may consider it too soon to be inquiring about all this but I want to go into this with my eyes wide open!! I am very excited to attend the Seminar. My husband is so happy that I may have a life besides just sitting around and gaining more weight. I have looked forward to retirement for so long and want to enjoy my Senior years! Louise